FYI from BSF, 10.27.23
Technology’s popularity in education hit its peak in March 2020.
The United Kingdom is banning student cell phone use in all of its schools. Following initial guidance from the Commonwealth, many Massachusetts school districts have begun to collect students’ cell phones before the first bell. Led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, 42 states are suing Meta Platforms (i.e., Facebook and Instagram) for “prey[ing] on an entire generation of young people for profit.”
A Change Research poll of +800 Bostonians conducted in June, 2023, shows overwhelming support to eliminate student cell phone use while in school.
How did we go so quickly from thanking technology for connecting young people and helping to keep schools “open” to throwing technology out of schools?
First, we must recognize the speed and adoption of smartphones by American children. A lot of kids got a lot of phones fast, without any predictions or research on how that would affect them in school or socially.
The rise of widespread youth mental health issues track with the adoption of smartphones and access to social media apps.
Note, the steep downward trend in the graph ends in 2017. This is before the pandemic, when trauma, isolation, and, yes, probably a lot more cell phone and social media raised alarms that traveled from concerned families and educators to an advisory from the Surgeon General.
Despite the assertions of advocates for tech savviness, a broad review of the research points to the use of cell phones in schools actually limits learning.
To point a finer point on it, a 2016 study of 4 English towns shows a cell phone ban associated with 0.07 SD increase on standardized assessments. A Massachusetts study of lead in drinking water associates it with a 0.007 SD decrease on standardized math assessments.
We don’t argue about taking lead pipes out of schools.
Notes in the Margin
Readers can go a bit deeper into the new inclusion plan proposed for BPS, both in research and in the Superintendent’s own words.
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education met on Tuesday. Materials here. The Commissioner reiterated concern about increased absent rates, and highlighted the potential for a successful alternatives to address racial disparities in the Massachusetts Teachers Educational Licensure (MTEL) exam results.
The Commonwealth is indicating interest in ending the Holyoke receivership.
Framingham’s school bus troubles reflect challenges in many communities.
Addressing the early education needs of Massachusetts’ newest residents.
Local control still in control - a merged school district of 8 Berkshires towns is voted down.
More and more forecasters have their binoculars fixed on the potential fiscal cliff for school districts. 130,000 jobs in schools and school districts are on the edge. New York City is considering midyear cuts and Chicago is already projecting significant budget cuts for FY25. This chart provides perspective on what Boston is facing.
Lots of chatter this week following the New York Times story and data visualizations showing the connection between high incomes and performance on the SAT.
The pattern holds in Boston. The only four schools to buck the trend are the three exam schools and Brooke.
What’s the answer? Grades pose a different problem: as a high school teacher argues, grades have become too similar to meaningfully compare students.
The Commonwealth issued guidance for colleges and universities admissions to pursue racial diversity. It has limited power to offer guidance on how much those colleges and universities should cost.
other matters
The surprise awarding of the $25,000 Milken Educator Award to a Plymouth teacher yielded this fantastic photograph.
